Says Smith will stick with Grossman, but turnovers must be cut

With the playoffs looming for the NFC North champions after a first-round bye, Kramer also might want to offer some tips for his former mentor to pass on to current Bears quarterback Rex Grossman.

After experiencing Grossman's impressive regular-season highs and devastating lows, the coaching staff appears resolute about sticking with Grossman in the postseason.

"Lovie Smith has cast the die that he's going to go the distance with Rex," Kramer said Wednesday from Los Angeles. "The move to go to Brian Griese . . . I think it's too late for that. I probably would have done it a little earlier. But they seemed to regroup and have a 13-3 record, so it can't be all bad."

Grossman became the first Bears quarterback to start all 16 games since Kramer in 1995.

"A littler earlier in the season, it seemed [Grossman] was playing with a lot of confidence and was throwing to a lot of wide-open receivers," Kramer said. "He was anticipating things well. Then he hit a couple of bumps, and his confidence was shaken up a bit. When you stack up two or more bad games in a row, it takes its toll."

Asked to assess the key to mastering Turner's system, Kramer replied:

"Don't turn the ball over. Early in the year [Grossman] wasn't. Ron's offense is predicated on running the ball well and taking what the defense gives you. Ron puts a few wrinkles in there to keep the defense guessing a little bit. But you drop back and hit the guy when he's open. And when he's not open . . . I remember Ron telling me, `Live to play another play.' . . . Once you learn to just throw the ball away, things seem to get better."

Kramer also thinks Grossman could take more pressure off himself if he chose to run a little more often. Grossman was credited with just 2 positive yards rushing on 24 attempts this season.

"If you feel comfortable enough to take off and run and you have that ability, then that will be in your bag of tricks," Kramer said. "Obviously with Rex, that's not one of his strengths. . . . The more you can run and keep the defense honest, you can find open receivers to throw to."

Overheard

Unlike Grossman, who was a first-round draft pick in 2003, Kramer was undrafted out of North Carolina State and signed with the Bears as a free agent in 1994 after playing in Detroit.

"Not starting and getting replaced and not getting drafted, playing in Canada and finding my way back into the NFL . . . it wasn't like it was going to wreck my confidence to be taken out of a game because it had happened once, twice, three times," Kramer said. "I think with Rex, there probably is that maturing process."

Sights seen

When former Cubs reliever Lee Smith recorded his first save in 1981, the major-league record for career saves was 272 by Rollie Fingers, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his second year on the ballot. Smith, who has yet to receive more than 45 percent of the required 75 percent of votes from the members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, went on to record 478 saves. That record stood for 14 years until Trevor Hoffman eclipsed it last season.

"They claim it's an easy job, talking about how guys now are only pitching one inning," Smith told MLB.com. "I wish you could get all the guys who vote one opportunity to pitch the ninth inning and let 'em see how tough a job it was."

Smith still owns the major-league record for most games finished, with 802.

Local attractions

Individual day passes for SoxFest will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Tuesday. SoxFest will be Jan. 26-28 at the Palmer House Hilton. Passes are available for purchase through Ticketmaster at 866-769-4263 or online at whitesox.com. For more info, call the SoxFest hotline at 312-917-3404 or visit whitesox.com.